National Aeronautics and Space Administration Photo at right: On July 21, 2016, Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams of NASA shared this photograph of sunlight illuminating the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, writing, “Morning passing over the Chesapeake Bay Photographs by David C. Bowman heading across the Atlantic.” except where noted. Wallops Flight Facility, on the Eastern Shore, can be seen at left and Langley Research Center on Virginia’s peninsula can be seen to the right. ur work at NASA’s Langley Research Center is critical to the success of the agency’s goals. With an eye on the sky, we’re working to improve the air travel system, which includes making the airplanes you fly on safer and environmentally friendly. Even now when you fly on an airplane, it’s likely that NASA-inspired technology is onboard. As part of this effort Langley is evaluating new aircraft designs and developing technologies to reduce aircraft noise around airports, improve fuel efficiency, and relieve air traffic congestion. For example, the nation’s airlines could realize more than $250 billion in savings in the near future through the use of green technologies developed and refined by NASA’s aeronautics researchers. These new technologies, created under NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation project, could cut airline fuel use in half, pollution by 75 percent and noise to nearly an eighth of today’s levels. NASA Langley is also advancing designs for expanded space exploration capabilities, developing next-generation deployable space structures, and partnering with industry to analyze and test spacecraft designs. Among the more visible examples are drop tests Langley is conducting of Orion crew capsule mockups, some with crash test dummies inside, to understand what the spacecraft and astronauts may experience when landing in the Pacific Ocean after deep-space missions. And our scientists continue to investigate Earth’s climate. We also study the Earth’s atmosphere from the ground, the skies, and space in an effort to better understand our changing planet. An example of this is the planned launch in 2017 of an instrument to the International Space Station. From a perch on the exterior, the instrument will give NASA a new way to monitor Earth’s protective ozone layer. SAGE III on ISS will make ozone measurements by locking onto the sun or moon and scanning the thin profile of the atmosphere from that unique vantage point. Finally, NASA Langley turns 100 this year, a momentous occasion that you can read and see more about at our centennial web site, www.nasa.gov/specials/nasalangley100. I invite you to turn the page and join us as we continue our journey into the future.

Dave Bowles Director, NASA Langley Research Center

Boeing and NASA researchers tested a 13-foot-wingspan, six-percent scale blended wing body, or BWB, model in NASA Langley’s 14 x 22- Foot Subsonic Tunnel. Boeing is readying the BWB for the next step in maturing the concept — a crewed demonstrator. NASA/Sandie Gibbs, George Homich 1 As humanity reaches well beyond the pull of Earth’s by pulling the spacecraft away from the rocket to which gravity, robotic missions to other planets are key to it’s attached should there be an issue during launch. understanding the solar system and paving the way A final flight test of the system is scheduled in 2019. for human exploration. Langley is providing critical During this test, an uncrewed Orion capsule will launch expertise in support of the upcoming InSight mission from a modified Peacekeeper missile to demonstrate a to Mars, now slated for 2018, as well as the Mars 2020 successful abort under the highest aerodynamic loads robotic lander mission, that could be experienced during a mission. including heat-shield sensors to provide a Developing Next-Generation Concepts more comprehensive Many challenges remain for the human journey to Mars. analysis of the Martian To find solutions, Langley is developing mission-critical atmosphere that will be technology concepts for Mars exploration, such as used to develop descent advanced lightweight materials to dramatically reduce and landing systems for future missions. InSight Spacecraft the mass of launch vehicles and spacecraft. Jim Corliss, project chief engineer, said that forces absorbed during splashdown determine more than half of the structure of the crew module. Living, working, and traveling in space will also During the past year, Langley designed and tested a require new in-space construction methods. Langley prototype airlock concept manufactured from inflatable is partnered with U.S. industry to develop key materials, made advances in high-strength carbon technologies, such as long-reach robotic arms, welding nanotubes, and demonstrated advanced manufacturing With a sudden “crack!” of pyrotechnics, a mockup of the specific impact conditions of interest with a high devices, and other mechanisms to demonstrate techniques for lightweight composite structures. NASA’s Orion spacecraft released its grip on a set of degree of accuracy.” the feasibility of in-space robotic assembly of large cables and began a graceful, deliberate dive toward a Langley also leads research to better understand the Number Nine structures and spacecraft. pool 14 feet below. harsh environment of space, and to develop means and Instead of an Olympic-style feat of athletics, it was a The August 25 drop was the ninth in a series of 10 tests methods of protecting human health during long space Enabling Human and Robotic Space Missions mighty stroke of engineering — and an essential step at Langley’s Landing and Impact Research Facility. It was journeys. Such efforts in 2016 included experiments to forward in NASA’s journey to Mars. designed to simulate one of the Orion spacecraft’s most The first step in the Journey to Mars begins with the test different types of radiation shielding materials. Onlookers that gathered near the Hydro Impact Basin in stressful landing scenarios, where one of the capsule’s Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion Multi- three main parachutes fails to deploy. Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). Langley has applied Landing humans on Mars will require new technologies August applauded and cheered. They had just witnessed the simulated water landing of a space capsule, through decades of experience to improve the aerodynamic to safely navigate through the thin Martian atmosphere Under ideal conditions, the Orion capsule would slice the use of a 7.2-ton mockup covered with sensors design of the SLS. Using a heat shield already tested in and reach the surface. Langley is developing an into the water at about 17 mph. The test had it hitting the capable of detecting forces that the structure and its pool at about 20 mph, and in a lateral orientation. Instead flight, Langley has conducted water impact tests of the inflatable aerodynamic decelerator for Mars. Already, astronaut crew would experience. Orion crew vehicle to ensure it will safely return crew to engineers have manufactured and tested a prototype of being pushed down into their seats, astronauts in this scenario would splash down to the side. Earth. Langley will continue to validate the design of the design. In that sense, spectators caught a glimpse of the future. Orion heat shield so it is ready for the first test flights “We’re looking at some of the hardest impacts, the ones beginning in 2018. And the thermal protection system being developed that could potentially pose the most risk of injury to the for this next-generation Mars vehicle was recently crew or damaging the structure,” Corliss said. “That’s Langley also leads the development of the Orion demonstrated for a different application here on Earth: what we’ve been doing with these 10 tests.” Launch Abort System, designed to protect astronauts providing protection for firefighters battling forest fires. High-Fidelity Data “We’re really ecstatic about the data we’re getting and encouraged with how well it’s correlating with our “We’re very proud of what we do here and we’re computer models,” Corliss said. happy to be making this contribution to Orion,” said the project’s chief engineer, Jim Corliss. He explained The drop tests are the culmination of a three-year that the forces that hit a spacecraft at splashdown collaborative effort among workers at five NASA determine the design of more than half of its structure. facilities — Johnson Space Center, Kennedy Space Understanding those forces is critical for astronaut Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Ames Research safety. Center and Langley — along with help from Orion prime Lara Kearney, manager of the Orion Crew and Service contractor Lockheed Martin. Module Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in The tests at Langley are leading up to the first integrated Houston, traveled to Langley to watch the August 25 flight of the Space Launch System and Orion known as test. Exploration Mission-1 (EM-1). For that, Orion will fly atop “Orion is a one-of-a kind spacecraft, and we’re testing it the Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket in a one-of-a kind facility,” she said. “Langley has a rich in the world. There will be no crew on EM-1, but it will A scale model of NASA’s Space Launch System is tested in the Transonic A heat shield flown in space was tested at NASA Langley and sent to history in impact testing and the Hydro Impact Basin is prepare the way for future missions with astronauts as Dynamics Tunnel. Kennedy Space Center for more study. a world-class facility that gives us the ability to control NASA pushes ahead on its journey to Mars.

2 3 The nation’s airlines could realize more than $250 billion in savings in the near future thanks This is an artist’s concept of a to green-related technologies developed and supersonic X-plane, which could lead to quieter and more affordable refined by NASA’s aeronautics researchers supersonic passenger travel. during the past six years. These new technologies, developed under the purview of NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project, could cut airline fuel use As NASA aeronautical engineers prepare to develop A preliminary contract design award to Lockheed in half, pollution by 75 percent and noise to a series of greener, quieter, faster aircraft, they are Martin is part of the ongoing effort to change the nearly an eighth of today’s levels. already testing concepts that could be candidates. shape of airplane bodies to reduce the noise, rattle and “If these technologies start finding their way One of those is a blended wing body (BWB). A six vibrations caused when jets fly at supersonic speeds, into the airline fleet, our computer models show percent scale model of a Boeing BWB returned to the creating the shock waves that produce sonic booms. the economic impact could amount to $255 NASA Langley’s 14- by 22- Foot Subsonic Tunnel. That research includes Langley’s “boom room” where billion in operational savings between 2025 volunteers assess series of sounds and vibrations and 2050,” said Jaiwon Shin, NASA’s associate It was one of at least three possible X-planes Langley NASA/Paul Bagby that mimic what researchers predict future low boom administrator for aeronautics research. engineers are actively studying. Materials scientist Mia Siochi (left) and systems engineer Mike Alexander (center), supersonic aircraft shock wave effects will sound and Created in 2009 and completed in 2015, join Boeing technician Felix Boyett in counting insect residue on the wing of Boeing’s feel like: more like a faint thud, instead of a boom. The ERA’s mission was to explore and document ecoDemonstrator 757 aircraft as part of NASA’s non-stick bug coating research. results will go to the Federal Aviation Administration the feasibility, benefits and technical risk and the International Civil Aviation Organization to of inventive vehicle concepts and enabling drag-inducing, noise-enhancing gaps for air to flow support development of new noise certification for technologies to reduce aviation’s impact on the through. FlexSys and Aviation Partners of Seattle overland supersonic flight. environment. Researchers focused on eight integrated already have announced plans to commercialize this technology. Testing Technologies to Increase Drone Use technology demonstrations in three categories – airframe technology, propulsion technology and vehicle • NASA worked with General Electric to refine the NASA researchers and drone industry representatives systems integration. design of the compressor stage of a turbine engine foresee a day when small unmanned aircraft systems to improve aerodynamic efficiency and, after testing, (UAS) have all sorts of uses in everyday life, including By the time ERA concluded, NASA had invested more realized that engines using this technology could save wildfire spotting, precision agriculture, wildlife than $400 million, with another $250 million in-kind 2.5 percent in fuel. monitoring, and small package delivery — to name a resources invested by industry. few. “It was challenging because we had a fixed window, • The agency worked with Pratt & Whitney on the company’s geared turbofan jet engine to a mature NASA Langley engineers are working to help develop a fixed budget, and all eight demonstrations needed With 14 electric motors turning propellers integrated into a unique wing design to improve propulsion efficiency and reduce design, NASA’s latest X-plane – the X-57 “Maxwell” - will test new concepts and technologies to overcome the challenges, to finish at the same time,” said Fayette Collier, ERA noise. If introduced on the next-generation engine, the propulsion technology. including allowing drones to fly beyond visual line of project manager. technology could reduce fuel burn by 15 percent and sight, that are keeping UAS from being able to be more Summary of the Eight Completed The Newest NASA X-Plane significantly reduce noise. widely used and accepted. Technology Demonstrations The most recent revolutionary design to be officially • NASA also worked with Pratt & Whitney on an Working with Airlines to Improve Training • Tiny embedded nozzles blowing air over the surface improved design for a jet engine combustor, the designated as an X-plane is the X-57 Maxwell — an all- and Operations electric aircraft, which uses a series of highly integrated of an airplane’s vertical tail fin showed that aircraft can chamber in which fuel is burned, to reduce the amount motors, known as distributed electric propulsion (DEP), Engineers and scientists at NASA Langley are looking safely be designed with smaller tails, reducing weight of nitrogen oxides produced. While the goal was to that could help make planes quieter, more energy at ways to improve flight training, cockpit displays and and drag. This technology was tested using Boeing’s reduce generated pollution by 75 percent, reductions efficient and cheaper to operate. other flight deck operations. As a result of an agreement ecoDemonstrator 757 flying laboratory. Also flown were close to 80 percent. with American Airlines they will have the chance to fly A three-year piloted flight demonstration project will was a test of surface coatings designed to minimize • New design tools were developed to help engineers as observers in the cockpit during at least a half dozen transform a twin-engine light aircraft, removing the wing drag caused by bug residue building up on the wing’s reduce noise from wing flaps and landing gear on round-trip flights each year to get firsthand knowledge and piston engines and replacing them with a smaller, leading edge. takeoffs and landings. Data from wind-tunnel testing, of flight crew actions and reactions. lighter, high-aspect-ratio DEP wing, which includes up • NASA developed a new process for stitching together combined with flight tests, were joined for the first time to 14 electric motors. Two other carriers, Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, large sections of lightweight composite materials to to create simulations that could help mature designs. are in the process of testing an already developed NASA create damage-tolerant structures that could be used • Studies were done on a hybrid wing-body concept Quieting the Boom Langley technology, the Traffic Aware Planner, that can in building uniquely shaped aircraft as much as 20 in which the wings join the fuselage in a continuous, Langley, which leads NASA’s Commercial Supersonic help airlines save time and reduce fuel consumption percent lighter than a similar all-metal aircraft. seamless line and the jet engines are mounted on top of Technology project, is working with industry and other and carbon emissions. It’s a cockpit-based software • Teaming with the Air Force Research Laboratory and the airplane in the rear. Research included wind-tunnel NASA centers on what could be the next X-plane called tool that helps pilots determine the most efficient flight FlexSys Inc. of Ann Arbor, Michigan, NASA successfully runs to test how well the aircraft would operate at low QueSST or the Quiet Supersonic Technology flight paths to their destinations, while they are enroute and tested a radical morphing wing technology that allows speeds and to find the optimal engine placement, while demonstrator. flying among other aircraft in the airspace. an aircraft to seamlessly extend its flaps, leaving no also minimizing fuel burn and reducing noise.

4 (Top) X-plane Image: Lockheed Martin 5 NASA uses the vantage point of space to increase An instrument that will give NASA a new way to monitor our understanding of our home planet, improve lives Earth’s protective ozone layer and document its recov- and safeguard our future. Langley researchers collect ery is slated to launch to the International Space Sta- and study data from space, land, sea and air to tackle tion (ISS) in 2017. challenges facing the world today, from improved environmental prediction to natural hazard and climate The launch will take place at Cape Canaveral Air Force change preparedness. Station in Florida. After being mounted to the exterior of the space sta- World Tour for Science tion, the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment 2016 was a big year for NASA airborne campaigns in (SAGE) III instrument will make ozone measurements regions of critical change across the globe, and NASA by locking onto the sun or moon and scanning the limb, Langley played a pivotal role. A priority in the U.S. and or thin profile of the atmosphere, from that unique van- around the world is to improve our understanding of tage point. air pollution, provide data for decision-makers and “This will be the culmination of years of hard work by communities, and to better preserve public health. a great team,” said Michael Cisewski, project manag- Air quality impacts are larger and often easier to er for SAGE III. “It’s been immensely gratifying to work measure over the Korean peninsula than elsewhere. ACT-America Principal Investigator Kenneth Davis on something important like SAGE III that will benefit So in May and June, the Korea U.S.-Air Quality study society for years to come and help protect our planet. outfitted with a contamination-monitoring package that (KORUS-AQ) assessed air quality across urban, rural There’s nothing else like it.” measures the amount of dust and fumes floating near and coastal areas of South Korea using the combined Also this year, teams from Langley took water vapor The core of the SAGE III system was developed at the space station. If levels get too high, the instrument observations of aircraft, ground sites, ships and measurements for NASA’s Atmospheric Tomography NASA Langley and built by Ball Aerospace in the 1990s. can shut itself down to protect its sensitive optics. satellites. This campaign lays the groundwork for a new Mission (ATom) field campaign, the first mission to Original plans called for the instrument to be mounted constellation of satellite instruments focused on hourly survey the atmosphere over the ocean. They also It’s the sensitive optics that give SAGE the ability to on the space station around 2001, but those plans were air-quality observations over Asia, North America and worked to characterize clouds and small particles in watch out for atmospheric threats to a healthy planet. put on hold. Europe. the atmosphere for NASA’s ObseRvations of Aerosols Defending ozone means defending Earth’s habitability. above CLouds and their intEractionS (ORACLES) When the project lifted off again seven years ago and Ocean Climate mission. “This planet is unique,” said Joe Zawodny, SAGE III scientists pulled the main part of the instrument out of project scientist, “so we’ve got to take care of it.” The North Atlantic Aerosols and Marine Ecosystems storage, it needed some serious updates. One of the CALIPSO Celebrates 10 Years Study (NAAMES) is a five-year investigation of key biggest challenges was with the Hexapod Pointing processes controlling ocean system function, their On April 28, the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar Infrared Pathfinder System. influences on atmospheric aerosols and clouds and Satellite Observation (CALIPSO), marked 10 years in The hexapod, which came from the European Space their implications for climate and change. Earth orbit with more than 5.7 billion measurements. CALIPSO provides the first global three dimensional Agency and Italian companies Thales Alenia Space In November 2015, and again in May 2016, the team scan of clouds to advance our understanding of how and Compagnia Generale per lo Spazio, automatically researched seasonal phases of the North Atlantic clouds and aerosols affect Earth’s weather, climate, adjusts SAGE III to ensure that it points at the correct phytoplankton bloom by ship and aircraft. In addition and air quality. angle for the measurements being taken. to the North Atlantic being an ideal location to study the “Just as they were about to deliver it, we found out bloom, it also has pristine atmospheric conditions — far there was an issue with it rebooting at high tempera- from human influences. NAAMES will help us tures,” said Brooke Thornton, mission operations man- understand forces that control plankton blooms and ager for SAGE III. “We would probably have to have impact marine life, and how those factors could impact our pointing system power down for the majority of our the atmosphere and the climate. mission. That was a huge issue.” In July and August, the Atmospheric Carbon and Software engineers at Langley quickly came up with Transport–America (ACT-America) campaign, began to a new way of operating the payload in the event the measure how weather systems and other atmospheric hexapod had to be turned off. “It was amazing that, in conditions contribute to the transport of carbon dioxide weeks, they took one of the biggest risks that our proj- and methane through the atmosphere over three regions ect had faced and came up with a very good solution in the Eastern United States. ACT-America will build very quickly,” said Thornton. upon and improve the utility of existing satellites and ground-based tower measurements in these regions, The SAGE instrument is equipped with powerful tools. and enable precise estimates of the sources and sinks The instrument uses charge-coupled device array de- of these gases. tectors that act as a sophisticated camera. Also, it is SAGE III, shown here in testing, will be attached to the International An artist’s rendering of the CALIPSO satellite. Space Station to study Earth’s atmosphere.

6 7 Langley partnerships have been mutually valuable for both the public and private sectors, leading to reductions in research and development costs, expansion of technology capabilities and solutions, and to the creation of new and uniquely useful products. Regional and national competitiveness has increased, jobs have been added, and the balance of trade improved. Langley’s ongoing efforts are ensuring that NASA technologies and capabilities are broadly available to U.S. industry, academia, and other government organizations. With an eye on tomorrow’s innovators, Langley continues to work with colleges and universities through the Technology Transfer University program, TAP is used to save fuel and flight time while avoiding traffic, weather, which introduces NASA-developed technologies and restricted airspaces. into classrooms where business students create technology-based market assessments and business prequalify Transportation Security Administration plans. agents. Dronicar intends to develop and sell small “smart carts,” drones, and remotely piloted unmanned Sparking Innovation and Licensing aircraft, as well as related software and electronics. In 2016, NASA renewed investment in regional economic Cockpit Technology a Hot Prospect development, or RED: an effort to spark economic growth by creating, contributing to, catalyzing, Langley’s Traffic Aware Strategic Aircrew Requests and supporting innovative businesses nationwide. and an application named the Traffic Awareness Langley’s RED involvement was underscored in April, Planner (TAP) became perhaps NASA’s most significant during the first-ever Hampton Roads Unmanned software-product technology transfer of 2016. When Systems Opportunity Exchange hosted at the Hampton packaged together, the software can be used to assess Convention Center. The event brought together for real-time information about an aircraft’s flight path, discussion and interactions companies of all sizes, automatically identifying changes that could save fuel as well as technical, business, workforce and testing- or flight time, and displaying optimal solutions directly site providers. The gathering’s 125-person attendance to the flight crew. Four different companies have inked exceeded projected participation. non-exclusive evaluation licenses for both, allowing exploration of their potential and fit with iterated The Startup NASA program offers firms the opportunity business-development goals. to license NASA technology with no up-front costs or minimum fees, allowing expedited access to intellectual Small Business Support property necessary to establishment of a competitive American small businesses and research institutions market space. In 2016, Langley executed startup- are critical to developing innovative technologies. license agreements with three companies. Through the Small Business Innovation Research Advanced Aircraft Company licensed an electric (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) propulsion aircraft design called “Greased Lightning” Programs, NASA invests in high-tech small companies, or GL-10, with potential aerial applications that range helping them to successfully research, develop from agriculture, to marine science and defense. and demonstrate technologies leading to possible PrimeBilec Investments, LLC will be commercializing commercialization. In 2016, Langley oversaw research inspection-validations software, efforts involving 162 SBIR and STTR active awards a primary use of worth more than $77 million. which would Through NASA and industry partnerships, and by leveraging matching SBIR Program fund investments, NASA Langley’s 85,200 square firms are developing and deploying such products foot hangar hosted not one, such as a high-resolution autostereoscopic cockpit but two, C-130 planes from the display, a new type of high-efficiency laser, an air traffic Wallops Flight Facility during the management system, and inspection technologies to summer of 2016. Both flew air- assess spacecraft heat shield materials. borne science campaigns in which Langley scientists participated.

The Greased Lightning GL-10 has a 10-foot wingspan and can take 8 off like a helicopter and fly horizontally like an airplane. 9 Historians Glenn Bugos, Erik Conway, and Roger Launius discuss the legacy arking the 40th anniversary of the historic Viking 1 of heat shields, parachutes and rockets. “What a of Viking, which was led by Langley and culminated landing on Mars, NASA Langley hosted a complicated, Rube Goldberg-ian contraption you guys M in the landing of two symposium in July 2016 covering how that feat of had to come up with,” Manning said. “It’s unbelievable.” research spacecraft on engineering came to be, how it set the stage for Mars Lessons Learned Mars in 1976. expeditions that followed, and how it’s influencing missions yet to come. Tom Young, Viking’s mission director, shared some lessons learned. For “Viking at 40: From NASA’s First Soft Landing to Humans on Mars,” experts from across the nation He described how plans originally called for the Viking converged on NASA Langley to explore topics ranging 1 lander to touch down on July 4, 1976, the climax of from Viking’s legacy, to protecting Mars from human America’s bicentennial. The spacecraft entered the Red microbes, to new propulsion technologies that will help Planet’s orbit on June 19 and started snapping photos astronauts sail toward the Red Planet. of the proposed landing site. Most of all, the event honored the men and women “The first pictures were alarming,” Young said. The whose efforts allowed Viking to do what had never site appeared to be unsafe. Meanwhile, Viking 2 was been done before — land a probe on Mars and gather speeding toward Mars and was scheduled to enter tantalizing data from another world. orbit Aug. 7. The team had to make a quick decision. “If Viking 1’s landing was delayed too long there would be A Viking 1 model sits on a Heavy Lifting a traffic jam at Mars that was beyond our capability to simulated Mars surface. “They say we stand on the shoulders of giants, well, manage,” he said. aren’t your shoulders a little sore by now?” said The team had about two weeks to find a better landing symposium speaker Robert Manning, the current Mars site. That meant a July 4 landing wouldn’t be possible. program engineering manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion It wasn’t a politically popular call, but it was the right Laboratory (JPL) in California. He was talking to a one, Young said. The first spacecraft landed July 20, group of Viking program veterans sitting in a cluster 1969. before him. “I want to thank you for what happened in 1976,” Manning said. “Viking is an amazing accomplishment. Those of us who do it now have a really hard time conceiving how you could build and design this thing NASA before computers were really popular. You did it by Editor’s Note: The “Viking at 40” events at NASA hand, with paper, vellum, notepads.” Langley were the first in a series of activities that He stressed that many Viking innovations are still will commemorate the center’s 100th anniversary being used today in plans for robotic Mars exploration. through 2017. NASA Langley’s centennial is officially July 17, 2017. At that time the facility was The first photograph ever taken on Landing a spacecraft softly without the aid of a thick the surface of Mars July 20, 1976. atmosphere like Earth’s to help slow it down was a called the NACA Langley Aeronautical Laboratory. This photo was taken to determine huge challenge in 1976 — and remains so. NACA stands for National Advisory Committee for if the lander had sunken into the Aeronautics, which became NASA at the dawn of Martian surface because at the For Viking, it required a precisely choreographed ballet the space age in 1958. time, it was unknown how much dust was on the planet’s surface.

NASA

10 11 NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson (right) shared the stage with NASA Langley deputy director Clayton Turner to talk about the importance of science, technology, engineering and math and following your dreams at the CIAA Middle School Day in Charlotte, North Carolina.

VASTS students are given a tour of the Langley’s Structures & Materials NASA Langley joined in on Orville Wright’s 145th birthday celebration at Laboratory, where they took a close look at designs for inflatable habitats. the Wright Brothers National Park in North Carolina. NASA Langley strives to engage students and teachers Community College for Aerospace Scholars, which and delve deep into the world of science, technology, introduces NASA-unique opportunities and careers to engineering and mathematics (STEM), in hopes of underrepresented and underserved community college research during the annual Air Power Over Hampton Langley also took part in the USA Science and inspiring the next generation of scientists, researchers students with the goal of inspiring them to pursue STEM Roads event held by our neighbor, Langley Air Force Engineering Festival in Washington D.C., which Base. and engineers. education and career opportunities. attracted more than 350,000 visitors to hands-on Expanding on its local STEM engagement, Langley science and engineering activities. This entails a collaborative approach, starting with And the NASA Earth Systems, Technology and participated in events like the Virginia Living Bringing NASA to the Raceway and Court Langley’s local partners such as the Virginia Air & Space Energy Education for Minority University Research Museum’s 1960’s Space Race Tribute celebrations in and Education Program promotes literacy in climate Center, the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, and the Newport News; Family Science Night at Crossroads Langley’s initiatives reached a novel audience by and Earth systems science and seeks to increase National Institute of Aerospace, as well as museums Elementary School in Norfolk; Jefferson Laboratory’s leveraging Langley’s Rockets to Racecars partnership underrepresented minority in science careers and and public and private school districts across Langley’s Open House in Newport News; and the Newport with Jimmie Johnson’s JJ Racing. From the Poconos educational opportunities. five-state region - Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, News Shipbuilding’s summer science, technology, in Pennsylvania, to the Richmond International North Carolina and South Carolina. STEM education A STEM Presence engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) academy. Raceway in Virginia, the NASCAR raceway is a unique is also enhanced through Langley’s Digital Learning way for the public to learn about the similarities Langley began a new STEM initiative this year focused Langley went beyond its local ties and participated in Network, a free and interactive virtual connection for between aerospace and racing — like how astronaut on educating and engaging students and teachers Astronomy Days in North Carolina, where nearly 16,000 spacesuits are comparable to the materials worn by students and teachers. in the Summer Program for Arts, Recreation and visitors of all ages learned about NASA technologies racecar drivers. In 2016, Langley partnered with the space grant Knowledge in Newport News Public Schools. Langley being developed for deep space missions. consortium to begin a new program called the NASA also highlighted its aeronautical, space and science About 15,000 participants from the interactive, film And Langley engaged with thousands of middle school, and music industries attended the South by Southwest high school and university students at the Charlotte conference in Texas, where Langley hosted exhibits Convention Center and Arena in North Carolina during and presentations on topics such as astrophysics, the a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) career fair and education day. Lovers of all things journey to Mars, and science communications. aviation turned out by the thousands for the semi-annual Air Power Over Hampton Roads Air Show at Langley Air Force Base. Langley Research Center, just across the airfield from the base, was on hand with a number of space-related displays.

College engineering students Samantha Glassner (left) and Ashwin Dozens of rising high school freshman had an opportunity to learn more Kishen spent their summer internships working on a project called about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) from NASA Assembly of Solar Array Modules by a Team of Robots. experts during the Junior Game Changers Camp.

12 13 Photos: U.S. Forest Service/Ian Grob As Tropical Storm Hermine steamed up the East Coast in September, neighboring Langley Air Force Base reached out to NASA Langley to see if we could shelter a few F-22 Raptors. Even though the hangar already had a large visitor — a NASA C-130 — and our own research airplanes, it was able to shelter more than a dozen fighters. The facility is rated for at least a Category 2 hurricane. NASA Langley photographer David C. Bowman captured this image using a fish-eye lens while shooting down from the hangar catwalk. NASA’s assist with the F-22s is an example of our close ties with the Air Force, which involves research and testing and responding to urgent requests to solve problems that unexpectedly arise in military aircraft.

14 15 Top Obligations to Nonprofits and Educational Institutions General Services Administration ...... $ 98,117,403 As an economic engine, NASA Langley National Institute of Aerospace Associates ..... 28,887,421 Research Center’s operations generated an Langley Funding Dollars in Millions Regents of The University of Michigan ...... 14,597,858 overall impact of $2.99 billion nationwide in City of Hampton ...... 5,511,794 2016, an increase from the previous year. $936 The Aerospace Corporation ...... 3,259,432 NASA Langley Generated the $846 $743 $849 $842 $25 Texas State University ...... 3,016,421 University of Texas at Austin ...... 3,016,186 Following Economic Impacts $37 $30 $36 $38 USAF, Life Cycle Management Center ...... 2,868,000 • In the U.S., the $2.99 billion supported Universities Space Research Associates ...... 2,739,171 15,956 jobs. Oregon State University ...... 2,285,560 $911 • In Virginia, the economic impact was $809 $705 $819 $806 Smithsonian Institution ...... 2,264,000 $1.2 billion that supported 7,368 jobs. Pennsylvania State University ...... 2,168,517 Regents of The University of Minnesota ...... 2,117,250 • In Hampton Roads, the economic impact Judiciary Courts of The Commonwealth ...... 1,595,738 was $1 billion that supported 6,515 jobs. Georgia Tech Research Corporation ...... 1,451,661 Regents of The University of Colorado ...... 1,230,192 USAF, Space Missile Test & Evaluation Directorate ...... 1,152,000 University of Texas at Arlington ...... 1,047,406 Old Dominion University 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Research Foundation ...... 813,675 Virginia Air & Space Center ...... 799,958 Appropriated Work for funds Others Massachusetts Institute of Technology ...... 790,464 University of Southern California ...... 763,797 Christopher Newport University ...... 615,928 Ohio University ...... 599,832 Langley Spending by State USAF, Air Force Space Command ...... 563,082

Top Business Obligations Harris Corporation ...... $ 71,938,823 Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc...... 60,340,696 Jacobs Technology, Inc...... 54,108,065 Science Systems And Applications, Inc...... 41,026,741 Science Applications International ...... 26,737,264 Lockheed Martin Corporation ...... 22,940,099 GenTech Partners Joint Venture ...... 20,648,273 Cornell Technical Services LLC ...... 17,355,128 Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp...... 8,090,017 Dominion Virginia Power ...... 7,360,526 Axis Global Enterprises, Inc...... 6,190,037 Unisys Corporation ...... 6,069,757 Mission Technologies, Inc...... 5,286,089 Boeing Company ...... 4,168,077 Whitestone Group, Inc...... 3,194,945 Advanced Technologies, Inc...... 3,106,770 Convergent Manufacturing Technology ...... 2,930,936 Science And Technology Corporation ...... 2,886,691 Midland GSS JV ...... 2,223,959 Alutiiq 3SG, LLC ...... 1,911,461 Straughan Environmental, Inc...... 1,623,275 Inuteq, LLC ...... 1,431,220 Modern Machine and Tool Company, Inc...... 1,284,826 Kendall Holdings, Ltd...... 1,197,148 Northrop Grumman Space & Mission Systems ...... 1,179,651

16 17 NASA/David C. Bowman Katherine Johnson A Hidden Figure Comes to Light counted everything. I counted the steps to the Computing Pool. Work came to the pool from wind Hidden Figures road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes tunnel and theoretical research groups from across the Johnson is the subject of the movie “Hidden Figures.” and silverware I washed … anything that could be Center. The exceptional quality of Katherine’s work The film stars Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, the “Icounted, I did.” soon came to the attention of the Flight Mechanics African-American mathematician who calculated flight So said Katherine Johnson, recipient of the 2015 Branch, which researched the physics of flight. The trajectories for Project Mercury and the 1969 Apollo 11 National Medal of Freedom, subject of a recent movie branch requested to have Katherine join them. flight to the Moon. The film also features Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe, Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, and Jim called “Hidden Figures” – and who also has a new With the dawning of the NASA era and the growing research lab named after her at NASA Langley. Parsons. demands of early space research, the Flight Mechanics Born in 1918 in the little town of White Sulphur Springs, Branch found itself supporting the Space Task Group The 20th Century Fox film recounts the story of Johnson West Virginia, Johnson was a research mathematician, and the development of a program to put Americans in and her two colleagues, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. It is based on the book “Hidden Figures” by who, by her own admission, was fascinated by numbers. space. Johnson’s mathematical skills were put to work Margot Lee Shetterly, which also features colleagues By the time she was 10 years old, she was a high school for the new frontier of space. freshman - an amazing feat in an era when school for Christine Mann Darden, Kathryn Peddrew, Sue Wilder, African Americans normally stopped at eighth grade. She calculated the flight trajectory for Alan Shepard, Eunice Smith and Barbara Holley. the first American in space. Even after NASA began Her father, Joshua, was determined that his bright little A Lab in Her Name using electronic computers, John Glenn requested she girl would have a chance to meet her potential. He On May 5, 2016, Johnson returned to NASA Langley, personally recheck the calculations made by the new moved his family 120 miles to Institute, West Virginia, on the 55th anniversary of Shepard’s historic flight, to electronic computers before his flight aboard Friendship where she could continue her education through high attend a ceremony where a $30-million, 40,000-square- school. Johnson’s academic performance proved her 7 – the mission on which he became the first American foot Computational Research Facility was named in her father’s decision was the right one: she skipped through to orbit the Earth. honor. grades to graduate from high school at 14, from college She continued to work at NASA until 1986, combining As part of the event, Johnson also received a Silver at 18. her math talent with electronic computer skills. Snoopy award from Leland Melvin, an astronaut and In 1953, after years as a teacher and later as a stay-at- Medal of Freedom former NASA associate administrator for education. Often home mom, she began working for NASA’s predecessor, called the astronaut’s award, the Silver Snoopy goes to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of people who have made outstanding contributions to flight NACA. The NACA had taken the unusual step of hiring Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, by safety and mission success. women for the tedious and precise work of calculating President Barack Obama on November 24, 2015. The Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research the results of wind tunnel tests in the mid 1930s. This prestigious award honored her work in calculating Facility is the third building in NASA Langley’s 20-year In a time before the electronic computers we know early spaceflight trajectories, verifying the calculations revitalization plan. The 40,000-square-foot structure will today, these women had the job title of “computer.” made by early electronic computers of John Glenn’s provide a consolidated data center and high-density During World War II, the NACA expanded this effort to 1962 launch to orbit and the 1969 Apollo 11 trajectory office space. It is scheduled to open in 2017. include African-American women. to the moon. Johnson also worked on the Space Johnson also was honored February 22, 2016, with a After the war, women continued to work as computers Shuttle Program and the Earth Resources Satellite and bench that sits in a small park outside the Virginia Air & at NACA, some even after getting married and starting encouraged students to pursue careers in science and Space Center, the official visitor’s center of NASA Langley families. In 1953, Katherine joined the West Area technology. in Hampton, Virginia.

Even after NASA began using electronic computers, A new Langley astronaut John Glenn laboratory under President Obama requested she personally construction – the Johnson at awards Johnson the recheck the calculations Computational Langley with Medal of Freedom. made by the new electronic Research Facility – is former astronaut That’s baseball computers for the flight in named after Johnson Leland Melvin. legend Willie Mays which he became the first and scheduled for on the right. American to orbit Earth. completion in 2017.

18 NASA NASA/Bill Ingalls 19 Between the different worlds of linguistics and Cook, who is working toward her Ph.D. in aerospace aerospace, you could say Sarah Cook’s choice for a engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder and career pulled at her like gravity. hopes to finish by 2019, plies her trade working on a During her senior year at high school in Boulder, new form of space travel and exploration – solar sails. Colorado, during a physics “This is the place to come for class, Cook saw a simulation this type of research,” she NASA/Harlen Capen of the gravitational forces said. between the Earth, the sun, the Solar sails are a form of space moon and how that changes propulsion that could enable the orbit of spacecraft around a host of missions, including Earth. flying an advanced space- “I just thought it was so cool,” weather warning system to she said. “I just remember I more quickly and accurately had a ‘wow’ moment when I alert satellite operators was sitting in class.” and utilities on Earth to From then, the gravitational geomagnetic storms caused pull of space determined her by coronal mass ejections NASA/Harlen Capen from the sun. destiny. Sarah Cook holds up a strand of heliogyro solar sail. Cook, who began working “It’s kind of like this huge at NASA Langley as an intern in the summer of 2014, helicopter in space,” she said. always had an interest in math and science growing up. There are three types of solar sail designs: spinning disc, She could also be classified as a renaissance woman, traditional stabilized square and heliogyro — which is a with her aerospace engineering interests paired with mix of the first two. Cook works on the heliogyro type. her foreign languages learned in high school – Spanish, Heliogyro solar sails are composed of several vanes, French, Arabic and Latin. extending directly from a central hub, which “roll out” Photos by NASA /David C. Bowman except where noted because of the spinning motion of the spacecraft. “Nobody else went the engineering route” in her family, From top left: Tori Bates, Stephen she said. Since they do not need onboard propellant like rocket Provost, of Boeing, Ed McLarney; Jim Cook used old-fashioned networking in applying for a fuel, solar sails weigh less, are built with lighter materials Crawford; Yuan Chen; Zachery Johns; NASA fellowship to work on solar sails. and are cheaper to manufacture and operate, using the Cheol Park; Matt Simon and Erica Rodgers; Loretta Kelemen; Clinton plentiful energy of sunlight as fuel. NASA astronaut Suni Williams (fourth “I was able to get my foot in the NASA door, if you will,” Duncan; Angie Bynum; Sharon Reyes; from left on top of capsule), NASA she said. “The sun is already up there,” Cook said. “It’s free and Guillermo Gonzalez. energy.” engineers, and Air Force pararescue- Her advisor at the University of Colorado Boulder men pause for a group portrait on top Once launched, a solar sail can unfurl to catch the of a Boeing CST-100 Starliner test worked on solar sails and had collaborated with Keats article after simulating Wilkie, the Structural Dynamics Branch head at NASA sunlight it needs to operate in space. an astronaut rescue. Langley. That connection helped put Cook on her “It’s the next big step to reducing the cost of current path. interplanetary space travel and exploration,” she said.

Education Distribution Occupation Distribution Associates, More than Doctorate, Two Years College 14% Post Doctorate 22% Administrative Technician 9% Professional 23%

High School, Advanced Bachelors, Clerical 2% Study Certificate, Some Post Bachelors College: 5% Course Work Scientist & 27% Engineer 66% NASA/Harlen Capen

Masters, Post Masters Course Work, Advanced Professional Degree 32% Education and occupation distribution numbers apply to 1,895 civil servants only. Data is not collected for contractors.

20 21 Lasers in NASA Langley’s 14- x 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel map how air flows over a Boeing Blended Wing Body model – a greener, quieter airplane design under development. Smoother flow over the wing means less fuel to power the aircraft.

Engineer Keith Johnson inflates a 9-foot diameter test article of the Hypersonic Inflatable Technician Christopher Rex puts final touches on an 8-foot diameter NASA logo fabricated at Langley. Engineering technician Clinton Duncan inspects a D8 "double bubble" model in Langley’s Aerodynamic Decelerator, or HIAD. HIAD could give NASA more options for planetary missions It is one of two built for use on the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility. 12-Foot Low Speed Tunnel. because it would let spacecraft carry larger and heavier scientific instruments.

22 23 Dennis Bushnell, Chief Scientist, was named in Heliogyro Solar Sail Structural Dynamics, William Doggett and John Dorsey, Structural Karen Jackson, Structural Dynamics Branch, an American Institute of Aeronautics and Stability, and Control Research. Mechanics and Concepts Branch; George Edwin Fasanella of the National Institute Astronautics (AIAA) Fellow. Ganoe, Electromagnetics and Sensors of Aerospace and Michael Polanco, who Jesse Quinlan, Aeronautics Systems Branch; Bruce King, TEAMS2, Thomas is currently a graduate student at ODU, Lin Chambers, Science Directorate, was Analysis Branch and Frank Gern, Vehicle Jones, Structural Mechanics and Concepts received a best paper award for Simulating named Fellow of the American Association Analysis Branch, received best paper at the Branch; Charles Mercer, Lites; and Cole the Response of a Composite Honeycomb for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). AIAA Engineering Session for Conceptual Corbin received first place in the International Energy Absorber: Part 1. Dynamic Crushing Design and Structural Optimization of NASA Norman Loeb, Climate Science Branch, was Create the Future Design competition of DEA Components and Multi-Terrain Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) named American Meteorological Society in the Machinery/Automation/Robotics Impacts from the Journal of Aerospace Hybrid Wing Body Aircraft, AIAA 2016-0229 at Fellow. technology category for “The Tendon Engineering. the AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting 2016. Actuated Lightweight In-Space MANipulator Patrick Taylor, Climate Science Branch, Jared Grauer, Dynamic Systems and Control Timothy Etherington, and Lynda Kramer, (TALISMAN)”. The competition was was named Kavli Fellow, National Academy Dennis Bushnell Devin Pugh-Thomas Christopher Mertens Guillermo Gonzalez Branch, was awarded first place in the 2016 Crew Systems & Aviation Operations Branch; sponsored by COMSOL, Mouser Electronics of Sciences and gave the keynote address and Tech Briefs Media. Laurence Bement Young Professionals Paper at the Florida State University Meteorology Kurt Severance, Flight Software Systems Competition by the AIAA Hampton Roads Honors Society Banquet. Marie Ivanco, Space Mission Analysis Bryan Barmore, Crew Systems & Aviation Branch, Randall Bailey, Steven Williams Paul Leser, Durability, Damage Tolerance & Section for Generic Global Aerodynamic Branch, was selected as a member of the Operations Branch, received outstanding and Stephanie Harrison, Crew Systems & Reliability Branch and NIA graduate student, Model for Aircraft, which was coauthored by Aviation Operations Branch, received best Karen Jackson, Structural Dynamics Branch, AIAA United Nations Committee on Peaceful leader from RTCA, Inc. for leadership in was selected for the inaugural International Gene Morelli. of track paper for Human Factors Track for was selected for the Alexander A. Nikolsky Uses of Outer Space Working Group. producing DO-328A, Safety, Performance Council of the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) Enhanced Flight Vision Systems Operational Mark McElroy, Durability, Damage Tolerance, Honorary Lectureship by the American and Interoperability Requirements Document and the International Forum for Aviation Helicopter Society International. Feasibility Study using Radar and Infrared and Reliability Branch, received the best Kurt Swieringa, Crew Systems & Aviation for Airborne Spacing - Flight Deck Interval Research (IFAR) award for an individual Operations Branch, received the Robert A. Sensors at the Digital Avionics System paper award at the 30th American Society for Gaudy Bezos-O’Connor, Aeronautics Management (ASPA-FIM). who has made a significant contribution to Mitcheltree Young Engineer Award from the Conference 2015. Composites Annual Technical Conference for Research Mission Directorate Projects, was Aeronautical Science within his/her doctoral AIAA-Hampton Roads Section. Sang Choi, Advanced Materials & Processing An Enriched Shell Element for Delamination named an AIAA Associate Fellow. Bryan Barmore, NASA Langley; Kurt thesis. Branch, gave the keynote talk and presented Simulation in Composite Laminates. Colin Britcher, Liaison Professor at Old Swieringa, NASA Langley; Matthew Melissa Carter, Configuration Aerodynamics on a panel at the International Conference Robert Baurle, Hypersonic Airbreathing Dominion University and Director of Underwood, NASA Langley; Terence Branch, was named an AIAA Associate of Quantum, Nano and Microtechnologies in Propulsion Branch, was selected co-winner Programs at the National Institute of Abbott, SGT; and Robert Leonard, Virginia Fellow. Nice, France. of the best paper award for Analysis of Aerospace (NIA) was selected as a fellow by Commonwealth University, received best Facility Thermodynamic Non-Equilibrium Jennifer Heeg, Aeroelasticity Branch, was the Royal Aeronautical Society. Lawrence Huebner, Space Technology & presentation in session, AIAA 2016 Guidance, Effects on HIFiRE Ground Tests by the named an AIAA Associate Fellow. Exploration Directorate, was presented with Navigation, and Control Conference for Dimitri Mavris, NIA Langley Distinguished JANNAF (Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force) the Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee Development of an Interval Management Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee. Florence Hutcheson, Aeroacoustics Branch, Professor at Georgia Tech was selected as a Sustained Contribution Award “in recognition Algorithm for Delayed Traffic. was named an AIAA Associate Fellow. fellow by the Royal Aeronautical Society. of outstanding dedication, service, and Gregory Jones, Configuration Aerodynamics Martin Mlynczak, Climate Science Branch, leadership to the JANNAF Airbreathing Branch, was named an AIAA Associate was reappointed affiliate scientist at the Propulsion Subcommittee from 1997- 2016.” National Center for Atmospheric Research. Fellow. Christopher Mertens, Durability, Damage Christopher J. Wohl, Jr., Joseph G. Smith, Mehti Koklu, US Patent Number 9,339,825 Jr., Emilie J. Siochi, and Ronald K. Penner, for “Fluidic Oscillator Having Decoupled Devin Pugh-Thomas was appointed to the Tolerance & Reliability Branch received William Kimmel, Systems Analysis & US Patent Number 9,278,374 for “Modified Frequency and Amplitude Control” Virginia Council on Women to serve on the the Small Business Technology Council’s Concepts Directorate, was named an AIAA Keith L. Gordon, Emilie J. Siochi, Brian W. Surface Having Low Adhesion Properties To Science, Technology, Engineering, and 2016 Champion of Small Business Associate Fellow. Grimsley, Roberto J. Cano, and Michael Mitigate Insect Residue Adhesion” Sean A. Commo, Keith C. Lynn, Drew Mathematics Committee and received the Commercialization Award for incorporating W. Czabaj, US Patent Number 9,156,957 Landman, and Michael Acheson, US Patent Mark Moore, Aeronautics Systems Analysis Technology Rising Star Award at the Women small business in the Nowcast of for “Puncture-Healing Thermoplastic Resin Edward R. Generazio, US Patent Number Number 9,354,134 for “In-Situ Load System Branch, was named an AIAA Associate of Color Conference. Atmospheric Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Carbon-Fiber Reinforced Composites” 9,279,719 for “Electric Field Quantitative for Calibrating and Validating Aerodynamic Fellow. Safety (NAIRAS) effort. Measurement System and Method” Properties of Scaled Aircraft in Ground- Paul Holloway (posthumous), Doug Dwoyer, William R. Doggett, John T. Dorsey, George Craig Nickol, Aeronautics Systems Analysis based Aerospace Testing Applications” retiree, and Charlie Harris, retiree, were John Leckey, Remote Sensing Branch, was G. Ganoe, Bruce D. King, Thomas C. Jones, Lawrence J. Prinzel III; Alan T. Pope, Olafur Branch, was named an AIAA Associate inducted into the Virginia Tech Aerospace & selected as a 2016 Aspen Ideas Festival Charles D. Mercer, and Cole K. Corbin, S. Palsson, and Marsha J. Turner, US Joseph N. Zalameda and Patrick H. Fellow. Ocean Engineering Department Academy of Scholar. US Patent Number 9,168,659 for “Tension Patent Number 9,283,468 for “Method and Johnston, US Patent Number 9,354,206 for Excellence. Apparatus for Performance Optimization “Floating Ultrasonic Transducer Inspection Hiroaki Nishikawa, Computational Xiaomei Lu, Yongxiang Hu, Patricia Lucker, Stiffened and Tendon Actuated Manipulator” Aerosciences Branch and the National Through Physical Perturbation of Task System And Method For Nondestructive Rob Bryant, Advanced Materials & and Charles Trepte, all of the Atmospheric Jeffrey Y. Beyon, Grady J. Koch, and Michael Institute of Aerospace (NIA), was named an Elements” Evaluation” Processing Branch, was inducted into the Composition Branch, received an outstanding J. Kavaya, US Patent Number 9,201,146 AIAA Associate Fellow. Space Foundation’s Space Technology Hall paper award at the 4th International for “Airborne Doppler Wind Lidar Post Data John V. Foster and Kevin Cunningham, US Tak-kwong Ng and Carl S. Mills, US Patent William Tomek, Configuration Aerodynamics of Fame for Medtronic LaRC-SI polymer. Symposium on Atmospheric Light Scattering Processing Software DAPS-LV” Patent Number 9,285,387 for “In-Flight Pitot- Number 9,354,880 for “Processing Device Branch, was named an AIAA Associate and Remote Sensing, in Wuhan, China Static Calibration” for High-Speed Execution of an xRISC Victoria Chung, Simulation Development & Mehdi R. Khorrami, US Patent Number Fellow. for Forest Canopy Height Estimation from Computer Program” Analysis Branch, received the Outstanding CALIPSO Lidar Measurement. 9,227,719 for “Reactive Orthotropic Lattice Stanley E. Woodard, Donald M. Oglesby Karen Berger, Supersonic/Hypersonic Technical Contribution Award from the Diffuser for Noise Reduction” and Bryant D. Taylor, US Patent Number Brian M. Howerton and Michael G. Jones, Testing Branch, received the Lawrence B. Women of Color STEM Awards. Jason Welstead, NASA Langley and James 9,329,149 for “Wireless Chemical Sensor US Patent Number 9,355,194 for “Graphical Arthur T. Bradley, US Patent Number Sperry Award from the AIAA. Felder, NASA Glenn, received best paper and Sensing Method for Use Therewith” Acoustic Liner Design and Analysis Tool” Sharon Monica Jones received the for Conceptual Design of a Single-Aisle 9,229,451 for “Locomotion of Amorphous Anthony Washburn, Research Directorate, Technology All Star Award at the Women of Turboelectric Commercial Transport with Surface Robots” Stanley E. Woodard and Bryant D. Taylor, Stanley S. Smeltzer and Eric Lundgren, US was named an AIAA Associate Fellow. Color Conference. Fuselage Boundary Layer Ingestion, AIAA US Patent Number 9,329,153 for “Method Patent Number 9,370,918 for “Methods for Travis L. Turner, Reggie T. Kidd, David P 2016-1027 from the AIAA Aircraft Design of Mapping Anomalies in Homogenous Using Durable Adhesively Bonded Joints for David McGowan, Chief Engineer, was named Yolanda Shea and Erica Alston received the Lockard, Mehdi R. Khorrami, Craig L. Streett, Technical Committee at the AIAA Aerospace Material” Sandwich Structures” Vice Chair of the AIAA Adaptive Structures Technology Rising Star Award at the Women and Douglas Leo Weber, US Patent Number Sciences Meeting 2016. Technical Committee. of Color Conference. 9,242,720 for “Autonomous Slat-Cove-Filler Mehti Koklu, US Patent Number 9,333,517 Russell W. Smith, H. Kevin Rivers, Joseph Keats Wilkie, Jerry Warren, Lucas Horta, Device for Reduction of Aeroacoustic Noise for “Fluidic Oscillator Array for Synchronized G. Sikora, Mark C. Roth, and William M. Rich Wahls, Configuration Aerodynamics Darlene Baxter, Aero Research Program Karen Lyle, and Jer-Nan Juang all of the Associated with Aircraft Systems” Oscillating Jet Generation” Johnston, US Patent 9,400,237 for “Optical Branch, was selected for a sustained service Analysis Office, received the Managerial Structural Dynamics Branch; Chad Gibbs Method For Detecting Displacements and award by the AIAA. Leadership Award from the Women of Color Douglas M. Nark and Michael G. Jones, US Michael G. Jones, Douglas M. Nark, Earl and Earl Dowell, Duke University; and Daniel Strains at Ultra-High Temperatures During Stem Awards. Patent Number 9,245,089 for “Statistically Ayle and Fumitaka Ichihashi, US Patent Thermo-Mechanical Testing” Erica Rodgers, Space Mission Analysis Guerrant and Dale Lawrence, University of Based Approach to Broadband Liner Design Number 9,334,059 for “Acoustic Panel Liner Branch, was selected as a member of the Guillermo Gonzalez, Electronic Systems Colorado Boulder, received the best paper and Assessment“ for an Engine Nacelle” AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee Branch, received the Luminary Award from award at the Second AIAA Spacecraft and as its secretary. the HENAAC Great Minds in STEM awards. Structures Conference for Recent Advances

24 25 NASA/M.S.Walsh

The Virginia Air & Space Center in Hampton is NASA World War II bomber and experience a 3D IMAX film. Langley’s official visitor center. It features interactive Also on display is the Apollo 12 Command Module that aerospace exhibits spanning 100 years of flight, more went to the moon, the Mercury 14 capsule, a Gemini test than 30 historic aircraft, a hands-on space gallery, vehicle, and the Orion Pad Abort-1 flight test vehicle. You unique space flight artifacts, and more. While at the air can also view: a Mars meteorite, a three-billion-year-old and space center, you can launch a rocket, pilot a space moon rock, a DC-9 passenger jet and a replica 1903 shuttle, program Mars rovers for a mission, become Wright Flyer. an air-traffic controller, fly an airplane, climb aboard a For more information, go to vasc.org

Office of Strategic Analysis, Communications and Business Development: 757 864-3000 Government Relations: 757 864-2505 Doing Business with Langley: 757 864-5704 "Godspeed" John Glenn http://technologygateway.nasa.gov/ Glenn, the last of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, died Website: http://www.nasa.gov/langley Dec. 8, 2016, at the age of 95. In the early years of the Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nasalarc space program, Glenn spent a lot of his time at NASA Langley Research Center, which led Project Mercury, and Twitter: https://twitter.com/nasa_langley he became the first American to orbit Earth. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/nasalangley Employees who worked with Glenn during the 1950s and Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa_langley 60s remembered him as exceptional but quiet, and said you Cathy Mangum, Associate Director; David Bowles, Center Director; could ask him to do anything, and he would do it right. Clayton Turner, Deputy Director.

26 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley Research Center Hampton, VA 23681

NP-2016-11-857-LaRC